Cold air. Quiet crags. Headlamps cutting through dark.
Night sessions aren’t a novelty — they’re how you keep climbing when daylight doesn’t stick around.
Why Climb at Night
Shorter days. Better conditions.
Cooler air can improve friction.
Sometimes it’s the only time the rock’s dry. Sometimes it’s the only gap in a week of work.
Night climbing isn’t extreme — it’s practical. It’s how you keep getting outside when the season closes in.
If you’re climbing late, spotting matters even more.
Learn the fundamentals in Spot Smarter.
Light and Setup
Floodlights are your best friend.
One or two rechargeable LED panels (3000–5000 lumens) are usually enough.
Set them low and to the side — around pad height — to reduce glare and reveal micro edges.
Headlamps are great for approaches and close inspection, but keep them angled down to avoid washing out holds or blinding spotters.
Light from the side, not the front.
It’ll expose small footholds and make the surface read more clearly.
Tick edges and spend extra time route-reading — shadows help you see what daylight hides.
Light your landings first, wall second.
Check every pad edge before anyone leaves the ground.
Bright pads help — they show seams clearly and make coverage easier to read.
Drop a small lantern near the pads to mark the fall zone when beams shift or batteries fade.
Reading Conditions
Cool air doesn’t always mean good friction.
Pay attention to humidity, dew point, and temperature swings — the difference between dry and slick can change in minutes.
When temperatures drop close to the dew point, condensation forms on the rock, even if it looks fine from a distance.
Touch holds often. If they’re cold and damp, leave the crag for another day.
The rock can go from perfect to glassy fast.
If humidity rises overnight, you’ll feel it in your fingertips before you see it on the wall. Know when to call it — sometimes the send is in waiting, not forcing.
Awareness and Communication
Everything slows down at night. Keep it that way.
Move less. Check more. Talk clearly.
Solo sessions are possible, but not ideal.
If you go alone, tell someone where you’ll be and when you’ll be back. Bring spare batteries or a power bank — cold kills charge faster than you think.
With partners, walk through pad placement before every attempt.
Never move pads mid-move unless the climber asks — it’s easy to pull them off the fall line when visibility’s low.
Respect the Setting
Keep beams low and focused on your area.
Avoid blinding other climbers or wildlife.
Sound carries farther at night — skip the speaker, keep voices low.
If others are nearby, switch off floods between burns and avoid lighting entire faces.
You’re sharing the dark with more than climbers.
Gear That Helps
Night sessions are about simplicity.
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Compact pads with strong handles and clean folds for quick moves between blocs.
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Quick closures to speed up repositioning.
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Headlamp + LED Panel combo for even coverage.
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Extra light batteries and warm layers for when you stop moving.
If your pads can’t handle the landing, fix that first.
Shop Slaphappy Bouldering Pads
Whilst risk management, experience, and good practice can improve safety, bouldering pads and the information above do not guarantee safety.
Read our Safety and Liability Disclaimer for more information.
